I'm so glad that Hamster's Arcade Archives are a thing.

[Sima Tuna]

Stop teasing me with the reminder that Hamster still haven't ported Gekirindan.

[Sumez]

Have they done any F3 games actually?

[Sima Tuna]

Have they done any F3 games actually?

I had to look up the answer to your question. It seems like: not really, no. Arabian Magic hasn't been ported. Or Cleopatra Fortune. Lightbringer... No. I don't think Hat Trick Hero '95 was ported. Could be wrong about that one (if it was ported, I'm sure they used the neo-geo version, not the F3). No Kaiser Knuckle, Bubble Memories, Grid Seeker, or Bubble Symphony.

Elevator Action Returns only had its Saturn port brought over. No arcade version. Rayforce had its own ports, one saturn port and one arcade port. Both by different companies and not Hamster. Darius Gaiden had the M2 port.

[Sumez]

Oh yeah I was talking about Hamster specifically. The old Taito Legends releases also have a ton of F3 on them.

[Sima Tuna]

Oh yeah I was talking about Hamster specifically. The old Taito Legends releases also have a ton of F3 on them.

I figured that was what you meant. I just wanted to mention the other F3 ports because their presence suggests to me that those particular games probably won't receive any Hamster ports. I know Hamster has ported some games that have ports elsewhere on the same modern platforms. Even so, companies with distribution rights to Taito games may not want Hamster creating a low-cost, high-quality alternative to their premium-priced products.

City Connection in particular would really suffer from Hamster creating arcade-perfect ports of Psikyo and S-Tribute titles.

[Sumez]

A port being exclusively tied to an emulated version of an old Saturn port would truly be a horrible situation for everybody. I don't have anything against City Connection, but that's one thing they'd serve to suffer for.

[Bassa-Bassa]

Pretty sure the only reason there have not been Arcade Archives F3 games yet is resources. It's ackowledgedly one of the hardest 2D hardwares to emulate and there're still many others to add before entering 32bit territory. The Taito Memories versions were only partial emulations.

Having the most popular F3 titles already available as S-Tributes (other than Rayforce and Gaiden) must not be too encouraging, on the other hand. I don't see them caring enough to get Gekirindan, Lightbringer or Arabian Magic there, more than anything, because Japan itself doesn't care enough for those either. But it should happen eventually.

[EmperorIng]

It's mildly related, but has anyone here tried the EGG emulation of say, Silpheed? I wonder how the console-ized version of that emulator runs, or if it is a slow, crusty nightmare.

[BIL]

I see why some of you chaps have such a tormented relationship with this thread. Konami GX out of nowhere? Taito F3 out of nowhere?



PASS ME THAT GOOD HERB SON (｀w´メ)

Nailing those systems would be major achievements for any emulation specialist, let alone doing so at ACA price point and release schedule. Pretty sure we'd know in advance.

I could certainly see Paro Da! being this year's Christmas release, and a very welcome one, given the lack of a definitive console translation. Although Violent Storm following Mystic Warriors makes, sense too.

I would say Gokujou fits, too - a second major Konami milestone, and an STG to fit previous form - but I think Hamster are gonna save them big beefy muhfuckas like GX, F3, Mega System 32 & SPI, et al for current-gen. They're not known for recklessness, and even M2 needed a while to get their Darius Gaiden in order.

Admittedly, TGM1 came out of fuckin nowhere, but that is the edge case of edge cases. They probably had Brezhnev's ghost threatening to hook his phone up to their balls if they messed up one of the thousand copyright notices, plus Mihara standing over them with a katana and authentic WW2 grenade in his teeth so even if you kill him he blows up anyway.

EDIT: and again, TGM1 was advertised well in advance. As was Zero Team, lowkey one of the maddest fucks they've pulled off to date.

A port being exclusively tied to an emulated version of an old Saturn port would truly be a horrible situation for everybody. I don't have anything against City Connection, but that's one thing they'd serve to suffer for.

Given enough time and distance, I'm sure we'll see that full VING set in ACA someday, to go with the F2 picks. At any rate, +1 grudging respect for CC hightailing it outta PS4+NSW when ACA Metal Black surfaced at full godfish ramming speed to steal their lunch.

[Sturmvogel Prime]

Hope we can see on of those this week.

Even the Namco ones?

Yes. As long as Namco drops a good shmup, they will have my money.

Stop teasing me with the reminder that Hamster still haven't ported Gekirindan.

I also have that thought in mind.

By the way, Hamster has updated Arcade Archives: Ninja Emaki by adding the overseas version.
https://nitter.poast.org/HAMSTER_Corp/s ... 7297036503

[BIL]

Geki's an interesting one, as the Saturn port never had the mirror sheen of VING's set. Would make a lot of sense as an ACA F3 debut.

Although I'd rather see Grid Seeker, which ofc never got a Saturn port at all. F/A getting the 10th Anniversary spot already proved stone-faced Army Shumps can take the spotlight. 0% moe, 110% explosion.

Herupu!

By the way, Hamster has updated Arcade Archives: Ninja Emaki by adding the overseas version.
https://nitter.poast.org/HAMSTER_Corp/s ... 7297036503

Oho, nice. Will update the directory, ta bud!

[Sima Tuna]

I'll never put down that good herb weed smoke. The heart wants what it wants, Hamster!

[BIL]

I do believe a Herbert-esque Scattering will come, someday. ;w;7 The comfort of previous-gen hardware will have to be left behind at some point. Kiseki no Ham-Chans rumbles on.

...tbh though, I also wonder if they might consider enticing a few conspicuous absentees. I'd be just as happy to see them stay put for a Namco-esque run on Sega's 70s/80s/early 90s catalogue.

...haha I know, lmao sega. 3; Or hell, smaller and equally unloved cool dudes, like Westone and Mitchell. Or Winkysoft / more Banprestos. I'll pay that Winky Price!

Or just re-committed IREM and DECO runs. Hell, bring back SNK and Technos, too. There's still a lot they could do going sideways, rather than forging into the later 90s/early 00s. Arguably even moreso.

[Randorama]

(Mise en scene: early morning, toilet time, wi-fi purrs nicely, “we are all on drugs” by Weezer plays at a discreet volume; a fluo, bright yellow tank top as the daily vest: it’s still relatively hot)

The Hamster CEO mentioned that they were going to port 800 games or so, which means that they have around 350 titles to port yet. Surely, given the historical value of Konami’s GX and Taito’s F3 games, we will play gems like Gaiapolis and Grid Seeker on ACA!



…Before 2032, I guess.


(Weezer’s line ‘give it to me!’ Plays, then ‘gimme some of that stuff’ fades out while I push the submit button).

[OldSkoolShmuper]

I just want Taito's Thunder Fox!

[BIL]

I just want Taito's Thunder Fox!

Rolling Thunder x Ninja Warriors this year without a doubt, imo.



SAFETY FIRST KIDS

Same for DEAD CONNECTION and WARRIOR BLADE

[Sturmvogel Prime]

...and the Namco Bird cometh.

Namco again, but at least is a shmup. Blast Off is this week's game.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202409/18815

[Marc]

New one in me, any good?

[Sturmvogel Prime]

New one in me, any good?

It is the sequel to Bosconian.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOpWx4PZmOY

[Bassa-Bassa]

Gaiapolis is not GX, actually, it's apparently very close to Mystic Warriors' hardware, so it shouldn't be too far away. And I don't see any reason not to get the Denjin Makai series or Gundhara there soon as well, IPs belong to Bandai Namco and not to the developers.

[Sumez]

Having the most popular F3 titles already available as S-Tributes (other than Rayforce and Gaiden) must not be too encouraging, on the other hand. I don't see them caring enough to get Gekirindan, Lightbringer or Arabian Magic there, more than anything, because Japan itself doesn't care enough for those either. But it should happen eventually.

Both Bubble Bobble games on F3 are some of the most brilliant arcade games out there :O

Nailing those systems would be major achievements for any emulation specialist, let alone doing so at ACA price point and release schedule. Pretty sure we'd know in advance.

After TGM1 I think anything is possible. There is no way F3, and certainly not GX, are any more complex than that.

[Bassa-Bassa]

Not having already a City Connection announcement of S-Tribute B. Symphony is a hint to me that Taito wants a collection of the series by M2 or something. It's not unlike Parodius Da! - seems some companies want special treatment for popular stuff/major hits.

[Daytime Waitress]

Hell, bring back SNK and Technos, too. There's still a lot they could do going sideways, rather than forging into the later 90s/early 00s. Arguably even moreso.

They're going back to that well with 2.0 next year, and its online modo, so anything not yet covered could be up for grabs, though I'd just assumed that the NG library was complete because there hasn't been a Shin Nihon Kaliphate release in a good long while.

Spoiler

(Though I'll admit that I haven't paid close attention because the crown prince of Saudi Arabia doesn't need my money.)

tl;dr: what's even missing from the Hamcatalogue with regards to SNK?

[BIL]

Oho NICE, Blast Off! I wanted that one on the Namco Museums BITD. Time to update the directory!

After TGM1 I think anything is possible. There is no way F3, and certainly not GX, are any more complex than that.

Encouraging to hear, especially from one with your insight! I'm hopeful too. I guess it just still seems nuts TGM1 even happened.

what's even missing from the Hamcatalogue with regards to SNK?

Basically, a bunch of scattered goodies still confined to Digital Eclipse's shoddy SNK 40th Anniversary - Vanguard, Prehistoric Isle 1930s, Time Soldiers, Bermuda Triangle, World Wars, Chopper One - and one utter masterpiece, Search And Rescue. One of the finest topdown rotary run/guns ever, imo.

Sadly, SNK40th's LS-30 emulation is broken - you have to manually aim with the right stick at at all times, otherwise your dude will just point n' shoot like it's Commando. And on top of that, the goddamn stick randomly freezes, necessitating a quick breakout waggle. Not great when xenomorphs are trying to eat your mahfuckin head off while the catwalk you're on is collapsing and zombie-piloted mechs are launching heatseekers. Wanna avoid this via the alt controls? Don't, it destroys the framerate. So cheap and nasty compared to the flawless LS-30 emulation of ACA TANK, Ikari, Dogo and Guevara.

Still, SAR's so excellent, I don't mind as much as I should.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED?


NOBODY KNOWS THE FACTS

Like all my favourite arcade titles, it has a sublimely well-judged generosity. I love Obada-san's Ikari trilogy, but god damn, they're punishing. SAR is comfy as hell, yet white-knuckle intense! Character's agile, firepower's generous, doom is designed around and ever-encroaching. Clever weapon triptych encourages crafty moves! It even looks and sounds extra-rad, too; a fiery pastiche of Scott/Giger, Carpenter/Bouttin, and Cameron/ Winston. Beautiful terror/horror hardcore run and gun.

JUST A MAN / AND HE WILL / 2 SURWIWE ♫

Spoiler

Don't touch me you, you... SPACE FUCK O_O Wait is that a live grenade? Rad!

Spoiler

Shield do NOT engender passivity! (I did NAHT cheat him, the 30fps GIF hides my PSYCHO CRUSHAAA)

Spoiler

Teach these space pricks Traditional Shooting Methods (■｀w´■)

Spoiler

I would punt Ikari III and Datsuoku into the fucking sun in exchange. Hell I'd be kinda tempted to punt Guevara, the TRVE Ikari III. >_> Can't though, I love it, despite its goofy horizontal panning causing all kinds of trouble. SAR pans all over the damn place without a hitch, it's kinda like the rookie crew (feat. future Sengoku 2 art lead SICK_OF) taught the old master a lesson.

[OldSkoolShmuper]

Rolling Thunder x Ninja Warriors this year without a doubt, imo.

Would be fantastic, and before the final 1-2 games of 2024, I would think!

[BIL]

Seems R-Type made quite the impression on Namco in the late 80s; that's Phelios, Dragon Saber, and Blast Off all sporting shiny new Charge Shots. And Saber going full ImageFight in its endgame, dohoho! I suppose Spirit was already quite wally, but that is some cutting-edge puzzlebox pressure in the followup techno-fantasia.

Speaking of trends in Shooting Technology, not only did I have no idea Blast Off is a traditional vert, unlike Bosconian's free-scrolling seek & destroy... but it's also one of them there newfangled FOUR WEAPON SAME TIME STGs, which seemed all the rage in 1989.

In order of release, left to right:



Three foundational heavy hitters GETTING DOWN mit der MULTI-ANGLE SHOOTING SOUND I wonder if Konami have any examples. I suppose there's Flak Attack going full Bosco in its boss battles, kinda. How I love having all these tangentially-related games easily-referrable via Hamster and M2, these days.

Also, on the CS side, where does famous multi-switcher Thunder Force II, pipping them all to the post in late 1988, fit into this? Hmm. Perhaps this was Bosconian's two-way fire bearing its own little niche.

I wonder if the almighty brass balls of METAL HAWK inspired Blast Off's switch from seek/destroy to traditional vert. Assault kind of received the torch from Bosco, albeit in a very different ground-based format. Metal Hawk really brought things full circle, in a powerhouse style that's no slouch to emulate even today. Then again, Bosco has quite a bit distinguishing it from MH, like the classically precise two-way shot, and the presence of aerial obstacles... so perhaps not. At any rate, METAL ASSAULT kept Bosco's seek/destroy flag flying high at the decade's close.

[Sturmvogel Prime]

Nichibutsu's Moon Shuttle is this week's title. Next week we know what to expect, a Namco title.
https://www.famitsu.com/article/202410/19798

[Sima Tuna]

Good old Nichi-BUTT-su with what I assume is some kusoge.

[BIL]

I like ButButtsu, though having put time on their ACA canon, I notice quite a few otherwise-solid titles in need of steeper curves and tighter loops. Mighty Guy, Itazura Tenshi, and Armed F all have solid fundamentals and attractive mechanics, but seem to hit a holding pattern... not unlikable games, just needed editors. And of course there's the truly offbeat Terra Force, which feels like an experiment to snare Famicom-loving schoolboys into the big scary AKEDO WARUDO.

At their elusive bests, I think they're easily competitive with the other genre standbys. Terra Cresta and Ninja Emaki are great.

What jumps out at me here is the resemblance to a horizontal Moon Cresta. Checking their dates, seems it indeed came out the following year. (Cresta '80 / Shuttle '81) I don't often see that distinctive scoot/shoot gallery snipe outside of verts!

I almost wonder if they were trying for a bit of series crossover cred, ala Taito's Space Cruiser & Space Seeker. (a pair of truly unique games from 1981... Cruiser is genuinely arresting, both in presentation and furied setpiece-shifting pace; little to do with Space Invaders, beyond their titles and a frisson of late 70s vintage sniping)

Well, time to update the directory.

[Jeneki]

The UFO wave has movement patterns similar to Moon Cresta, looks very Nichi to me.

I like how the player ship is supposedly shooting a wave motion cannon. Got some Space Battleship Yamato going on there. (And Macross, but that came later in 82)